Bag packages composed of flexible polymer materials have been used for packaging various types of products, such as infant diapers, feminine care products and incontinence garments. The bags allow a packaging of the articles to create a carton-like look and configuration which facilitates transportation and display on retail shelves. The bags typically include handles to facilitate the carrying of individual packages from the retail shelves.
For example, D. Barnard U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,335 issued Oct. 31, 1989, describes a bottom-loaded plastic bag having ear handles on opposite sides of the bag. Each ear handle includes a substantially circular hand-receiving opening and a base portion which extends substantially the full width of the filled bag. The ear handles may be initially connected together by an easily breakable connection. This connection holds the ear handles together until they are pulled apart by a user.
H. Peppiatt U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,269 issued Feb. 24, 1981, describes a bag of polymeric plastic material which has an opening at one end and a gusset at the opposite end. Within the gusset there is disposed a handle welded to front and rear panels of the bag along a fold line. The handle is shorter than the length of the gusset.
U.S. Pat. No. B1 4,573,203 (Reexamination Certificate) issued Apr. 18, 1989 (patent issued Feb. 25, 1986) describes a reusable plastic bag with a loop handle. The bag is for packaging goods in a sealed manner with perforations being provided to facilitate access to the goods without interfering with the reusability of the bag.
H. Peppiatt U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,839 issued Dec. 15, 1987, describes a resealable, reusable, flexible plastic bag with a loop handle for packaging heavy loads. The bag includes front and rear outer panels and front and rear inner panels. A gusset connects the outer panels at a first end of the bag. Another gusset connects the inner panels at the first end of the bag. A handle, defined by a loop of flexible plastic material, is welded at each of its ends to a separate one of the outer panels, outside the outer gusset. The handle is provided with a line of perforations which bisects the handle. Preferably, the handle is narrower at its bight and has a total length which is longer than the width of the outer gusset so that the loop can be slipped over a person's arm.
J. Wood U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,575 issued Sep. 19, 1989 describes a bag which includes a handle web heat sealed to the gusset end of a bag web. The bag is a bottom filled top gusset bag which assumes a carton shape when filled. The handle web has a central portion which extends over the gusset. Substantially D-shaped hand openings are formed in the handle web. These openings have inwardly-directed arcuate sides and substantially flat outwardly-directed sides. Rounded corners are formed where the arcuate sides meet the flat sides.
K. Sendewal U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,396 issued Jan. 26, 1988 describes a bag for fluidic commodities. The bag is formed of a hose of thermoplastic film material and includes a body having side folds and formed by two opposing walls welded to each other at least at their upper ends. The bag has a loop-shaped gripping handle formed by two opposite strips cut out from the blank of the bag and welded to each other at the upper ends.
Conventional plastic bags, such as those described above, have not provided the desired combination of a convenient carrying handle system and a substantially interference free access to the contained articles through the top of the bag.